Indigo (NaNoWriMo13)

Chapter 28 - Trust Issues

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Chapter 28 - Trust issues

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Shift felt the influence of Athira’s colour helping him walk, taking some of the weight off his feet and stabilising him as she led him to the far end of the large dance room. They reached a carved, mahogany staircase which Athira promptly levitated them both up the centre of.

At the top, alone except for Shift in the darkness, Athira took a deep breath. She leant against the wall, closed her eyes and lifted her chin to the ceiling, the steady rise and fall of her chest the only perceptible movement.

Shift watched her carefully, taking in every aspect of her movement. Her brow was caught up in frustrated lines, fists clenched against her sides. Silent words formed at her lips. The blue runes were blazing for the world to see on her bare shoulders and arms, but as he watched they cooled down to their usual pale glow.

 “Okay,” she said, drawing in a long breath. “The urge to go on a murderous rampage is subsiding, but I don’t suggest another arena match any time soon.”

“So this probably isn’t the best time,” said Shift. “But I have to ask.”

“Usually a bad question in any scenario,” said Athira with a glance.

Shift pressed on. “I know what that bag you gave the guy was, Athira. It’s one of the ones some blue Elites carry their runes in, so where did you get it?”

“You don’t need to know.”

Shift was ready for the avoidance and activated his trap card. “I believe I still have two questions left that you promised me alllll the way back in your mindscape.”

Athira narrowed her eyes at him. “Does this look like a mindscape to you?”

“I didn’t think that was a rule,” said Shift.

Athira sighed. “I stole it, okay?”

“From someone who was still capable of moving afterwards or not?”

“Does it matter?” She opened her eyes and directed them at the ceiling. “Chief wanted the bag, so I got the bag.”

“Wait,” said Shift, wondering if he’d heard her right. “That guy was Chief? As in the Chief, the one on the Elite’s most wanted list?”

She shrugged. “Wouldn’t know, I didn’t bother looking at it.”

“How can you be so dismissive?” said Shift. His hands raised in the air on their own accord, only to have him shove them down again. He struggled to keep his voice down. “Athira, do you realise what that man’s done? How many people he’s hurt with his ‘get rich’ schemes? That list is there for a reason!”

Athira folded her arms. “That list is a pile of manure.”

“That list is--“

“A complete waste of time,” she said, cutting him off. “That list has several people on it who I know have never done anything worthy of being ‘most wanted’ while others -- murderers, thieves of bodies and whatever goods they can get their hands on -- are passed over without an honourable mention.”

Shift exhaled slowly. “So you have looked at it.”

Athira snorted. “Of course I have, it’s the first thing I did after Raph got me inducted to Indigo.”

“We need to go back for Chief,” said Shift, stopping in his tracks. “And I’m not shifting any colour for you until we do.”

That was the wrong thing to say. Athira turned her back on him, throwing her hands up as she started to walk away.